Dargaville Growing a better kumara Kūmara has a special place in New Zealand’s food history story, but not all kūmara is created equal. At Fieldco, the difference starts long before harvest – in the soil, the season, and decades of experience growing in one of New Zealand’s most renowned kūmara regions. Deep roots Fieldco’s story begins in 1976, when Rick Simpkin’s father Maurice, then working in a government job, wanted to build something that would support his family and create a future. He saw that opportunity in the warm climate, rich soils and long sunshine hours in Kaipara, around Dargaville. At the time, kūmara was a relatively new commercial industry, but Maurice made the bold decision to buy a block of land in a sheltered valley, and planted the first seeds. Today, that original block is still in production, and three generations of the Simpkin family have continued building the Fieldco legacy. With nearly 150 years of combined growing experience, Fieldco’s expertise speaks for itself – and theirs is a name you can trust. This is a business built on family and community. Many of the team have grown up around the farm, and in a rural town like Dargaville, that connection runs deep. At its core, Fieldco is about something simple: growing great–tasting food for Kiwis. Grown for goodness Kūmara is a subtropical crop, so where it’s grown makes all the difference. And it’s more delicate than it looks. The Kaipara region offers a unique combination of warm days, humid nights, and long sunshine hours. The clay-based soils help shape the kūmara as it grows, contributing to both structure and quality. At Fieldco, every kūmara is handpicked to protect its skin and structure. The team work with a simple philosophy: “We treat our kūmara like eggs,” meaning they’re handled with the utmost care and attention at every stage. Grant Simpkin, Ben Simpkin, Rick Simpkin &their first cousin PAGE 8 | BIDFOOD – ON THE MENU
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